Giants' Rueter Agrees to 2-Year Extension

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Pitcher Kirk Rueter agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract extension with the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday that runs through 2005.

Rueter will receive a $3 million signing bonus to be paid out $1 million each on Jan. 31 the next three years. He will make $4 million in 2004 and $5 million in 2005.

"I thought this was the perfect situation," said Rueter, who played for new manager Felipe Alou in Montreal. "I think this is a lot of money. I'm not out to prove to anybody what my total worth is. My family and I are very happy in San Francisco, very comfortable with all the people."

And the Giants appreciated Rueter's dedication to the franchise, which the pitcher called "family" friendly.

"Kirk came to us this winter to tell us that he was interested in staying with the club long term and even possibly finishing his career as a Giant," general manager Brian Sabean said.

"While not attracting much attention on the national stage, he has quietly become one of the winningest pitchers in baseball, and we want to reward him for that. We're ecstatic to have Kirk with us for the foreseeable future," he said.

The left-hander went 14-8 last season with a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts for the defending NL champions. He became the first Giants' lefty to win at least 10 games in six straight seasons since Johnny Antonelli from 1954-59.

Rueter was already out shopping at the upscale Hawaiian clothing store "Tommy Bahama" on Wednesday afternoon, saying he was buying shirts for "the guys." For now, there are no additions planned on "Woody's Shed," the place Rueter hangs out with his buddies _ known just as the "Shed Boys" _ back home in Hoyleton, Ill.

The Boys throw big parties there. Sabean's been there, and so has assistant GM Ned Colletti.

Rueter's deal was finalized in the last two days, Colletti said. Rueter approached the team in December, and several other times, expressing his interest in a long-term deal, and the Giants began seriously working on a contract in January.

Rueter said there is a no-trade clause involved, though he will have 10 years in the league and five years with the same team in May 2004, automatically giving him veto power over deals.

The 32-year-old Rueter is likely to be the No. 2 starter in the rotation following right-hander Jason Schmidt, though new manager Felipe Alou has said this week he hasn't yet made any set decisions about his starting pitchers.

Rueter was 1-0 with a 3.43 ERA in four playoff games in 2002, winning Game 1 of the NL championship series at Busch Stadium.

The Giants lost the World Series in seven games to the Anaheim Angels.